Ingredients:
• 28 Vanilla Wafers
• 1 1⁄4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
• 3 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 12-oz package frozen raspberries, thawed
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 6-oz white baking bar, chopped
• 4 8-oz packages cream cheese, softened
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1⁄2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 teaspoon raspberry flavored liqueur or 1 teaspoon raspberry flavoring
• 1⁄2 cup heavy or whipping cream
• Fresh raspberries to garnish
1. In a food processor, with knife blade attached or in a blender at medium speed, blend vanilla wafers and 1⁄4 cup toasted almonds until fine crumbs form (you should have about 1 1⁄4 cups crumbs.)
2. In 9” by 2 1⁄2” springform pan, with hand, mix cookie-crumb mixture, margarine or butter, and 2 tablespoons sugar. Press mixture onto bottom of pan, then set aside.
3. Wash and dry the food processor bowl. In a food processor, with knife blade attached or in a blender at high speed, blend raspberries until pureed. Press pureed raspberries through a fine sieve into a 2 quart saucepan to remove seeds.
4. Stir cornstarch into pureed raspberries; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens; boil 1 minute; cool.
5. In a 1 quart saucepan over very low heat, heat white baking bar until melted and smooth, stirring constantly. Cool slightly.
6. In a large bowl, with a mixer at low speed, beat cream cheese and 3⁄4 cup sugar just until smooth. Add melted white chocolate, eggs and almond extract; beat just until blended.
7. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Remove 1 cup of cream cheese mixture to a small bowl. Reserve 2 tablespoons pureed raspberry mixture for the side of the cake later. Stir raspberry liqueur and remaining raspberry mixture into the 1 cup reserved cheese mixture in a small bowl.
8. Pour half of the plain cream cheese mixture into a springform pan; drop half of the raspberry cream cheese mixture by spoonful’s on top. With a knife, cut and twist through mixtures to obtain a marbled effect. Repeat with remaining plain cream cheese mixture and raspberry cream cheese mixture.
9. Bake cake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 250 degrees; bake for 30-35 minutes until the center of the cake is just barely firm. Remove cheesecake from the oven; cool in the pan on a wire rack. Cover and refrigerate cheesecake for at least 4 hours or until well chilled.
10. To serve, carefully remove cheesecake from the pan. Spread the reserved 2 tablespoons of raspberry mixture around the side of cheesecake; press remaining almonds onto the side.
In a small bowl, with a mixer at medium speed, beat heavy or whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Place whipped cream in a decorating bag with a medium rosette tube and pipe design around the top of the cake. Garnish with raspberries. Refrigerate if not serving right away.
Makes 16 servings.